Monongalia County man indicted on campaign fraud charges

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Morgantown, West Virginia man was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to campaign fraud, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced.

James L. Laurita, Jr., age 57, was indicted on one count of “Scheme to Cause False Statements to Federal Election Commission,” two counts of “Causing Contributions in the Name of Another,” two counts of “Causing Excessive Contributions ,” and two counts of “Causing False Statement to Federal Election Commission.” Laurita, former president and CEO of Mepco, LLC, of Morgantown, is accused of devising a scheme to unlawfully use employees of Mepco, LLC and their spouses to make campaign contributions to several federal campaigns with company funds. The crimes are alleged to have occurred from March 2010 to July 2013 in Northern District of West Virginia and elsewhere. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod J. Douglas is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating. 

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.